District overview
Morris School District
Shared-community governance, a locally funded operating plan, and a districtwide facilities vote.
Who governs and funds the Morris School District?
The unpaid Board has five Morris Township representatives, four Morristown representatives, and one Morris Plains member appointed annually by the Morris Plains board for matters affecting Morristown High School. Two high-school students participate without votes. The Board sets policy, adopts the district budget and supervises the superintendent, while daily operations are delegated to the superintendent. The proposed 2026-27 operating plan is primarily locally funded: a $111.4 million property-tax levy supplies about four-fifths of the $139.7 million operating budget, supplemented by tuition and other local revenue, New Jersey aid, federal aid, and planned reserve use.
Representation spans three municipalities
Five members represent Morris Township, four represent Morristown, and one Morris Plains board member represents that borough on Morristown High School matters.
The local levy is the central operating source
The advertised budget lists a $111.4 million base levy and $117.5 million in total local sources, compared with $10.3 million in state operating revenue.
Enrollment shaped the FY27 plan
The district projected 5,035 pupils and linked a 225-student decline in grades 6-12 to 28 position reductions and lower school and department allocations.
Large facilities work requires a separate vote
The Board placed a $158.4 million districtwide bond authorization before voters for September 15, 2026, with potential state debt-service aid reducing but not eliminating the local cost.
The advertised operating budget is a proposed-year plan, and the facilities package is not yet authorized. State facilities aid is calculated under program rules and should not be read as a guaranteed percentage of the total project cost.
2026-27 budget and facilities plan
The advertised budget's proposed operating total; implementation can change through later transfers and amendments.
The base-budget levy is approximately 79.8% of the proposed operating total.
The district's state-format comparative-cost figure; it is not an audited all-in measure and should be compared only with like-formatted New Jersey figures.
The amount scheduled for a special district election on September 15, 2026.
Major projects
Districtwide facilities bond referendum
Special election scheduledThe proposal covers renovations at all ten district sites and additions at Sussex Avenue Elementary, Frelinghuysen Middle School, and Morristown High School.
- Board adopts the bond proposal and special-election resolution
- Voters are scheduled to decide the authorization in a special school-district election
Funding
General-obligation school bonds, with potential New Jersey school-facilities debt-service aid subject to state rules and appropriations
The proposed authorization is $158,394,556; the cited state-aid percentage is not the State's share of total project cost.
2026-27 operating-plan implementation
Fiscal year underwayThe $139.7 million plan responds to enrollment decline with 28 position reductions and lower school and department allocations while retaining facilities, technology, curriculum, transportation and student-program investments.
- Preliminary budget and enrollment-linked adjustments are presented
- Board holds its scheduled public budget hearing
- The 2026-27 fiscal year begins
Funding
Local property-tax levy and other local revenue, New Jersey and federal aid, and planned fund-balance and reserve use
The advertised plan lists $117.5 million in total local sources and $10.3 million in state operating revenue.
This overview uses the district's official Board of Education pages, advertised 2026-27 budget, approved June 8 minutes, and facilities-referendum materials.
Get alerts for Morris School District
We read every agenda, packet, and set of minutes, and write up the decisions that affect families — each one linked to the document it came from.
View alerts for this district